Osteospermum plant named ‘Sumost 04’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Sumost 04’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with dark orange-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sumost 04’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sumost 04’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Lüdinghausen, Germany. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact Osteospermum cultivars with attractive and unique inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in February, 2002 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number XY4, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 01-11, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Lüdinghausen, Germany in May, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Lüdinghausen, Germany since June, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sumost 04 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sumost 04’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sumost 04’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely and continuous flowering habit.     -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with dark orange-colored ray         florets.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lüdinghausen, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the female parent         selection differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the         female parent selection have soft orange-colored ray florets.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lüdinghausen, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more compact than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the male parent         selection have lighter orange-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum cultivar Sumost 02, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,975. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lüdinghausen, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar Sumost 02 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more compact than plants         of the cultivar Sumost 02.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum had shorter internodes than         plants of the cultivar Sumost 02.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of the cultivar Sumost 02.     -   4. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the cultivar Sumost 02         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar         Sumost 02 had soft orange-colored ray florets.     -   5. Plants of the new Osteospermum did not produce seeds whereas         plants of the cultivar Sumost 02 produced seeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum. This photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum. The photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sumost 04’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown 10.5-cm containers in Lüdinghausen, Germany during the summer and autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22° C., night averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 3,000 to 6,000 kilolux. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were about four months old when the photograph and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sumost 04. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number XY4, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 01-11, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 to 20 days at             20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 to 16 days at             16° C. to 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 28 to 30             days at 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 22 to 24             days at 16° C. to 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium thickness, fleshy; 161D in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact, upright and outwardly             spreading plant habit. Inflorescences positioned above the             foliar plane. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 15 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,             about five to six lateral branches per plant. Length: About             25 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Internode length: About             0.8 cm to 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 144A to 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;             sessile. Length: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm to             2.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 146A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A             to darker than 146A; venation, 145C. Fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 146A to 146B; venation, 145C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with             obovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned above             the foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets             developing acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences face             mostly upright. Freely flowering habit; about 25 to 30             inflorescences develop over time per plant. Inflorescences             not persistent. Inflorescences slightly fragrant, sweet.         -   Flowering response.—In Germany, plants of the new             Osteospermum flower recurrently to continuously from March             to October. Plants begin flowering about 32 to 40 days after             pinching. Inflorescences last about six days on the plant.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm. Diameter:             About 9 mm. Shape: Ovate. Color: N25B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm to 4 cm. Depth             (height): About 1 cm. Disc diameter: About 0.8 cm to 1 cm.             Receptacle diameter: About 8 mm. Receptacle height: About             5 mm. Receptacle color: 145C.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 2 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 26 in a single whorl. Color: When             opening, upper surface: N25B. When opening, lower surface:             N25A. Fully opened, upper surface: 25B to 25C; towards the             base, close to 155D; at the base, N89A; color becoming             closer to 25A with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             172C to 172D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc             florets per inflorescence: About 70. Color, immature and             mature: Apex: N92A. Mid-section and base: 145C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length:             About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescent, rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm to 7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: 29A.             Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther             color: 59A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 29A.             Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil             length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:             N89A. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 155C.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Sumost 04’ as illustrated and described. 